After God’s Own Heart

As I was getting ready for bed, a question crossed my mind: “What if I woke up tomorrow and hit it hard to live as a man after God’s own heart?” What would that look like? What if, once and for all, everything in my life reflected the love of Christ, and everything I did was for His glory? Perhaps it’s an impossible task. We’re human and not capable of perfection. I know I’ll fail. My life will never be the image of God I want it to be. But what if I never try?

What if I reach the end of my life and realize I never took my commitment to Christ as seriously as I should have? I don’t want to die knowing I could have done more. I don’t want to face Jesus having lived a life half done. I want to pour it all out at his feet right here and right now.

We’re so stupid. I know this because we’re so selfish. Jesus offers us everything we truly need and want. All He asks in return is our sacrifice and obedience. We sacrifice our pride, our selfish ambitions, our lusts for the things of this world, and all forms of idolatry. None of these things are good for us anyway. We’re not giving up anything of value. We’re surrendering garbage in exchange for the treasures of Heaven. This should be an easy trade. Yet we resist, we postpone, we even defiantly refuse. It’s how I know we’re stupid.

To be a man or woman after God’s own heart should be our only desire. It was for this we were created. It is for this we must die. We must die to everything in our life that is not Jesus. This is our sacrifice for our King. When we die to ourselves, Jesus will resurrect us in His likeness. Once we cast aside the ugliness with which our selfishness and pride has covered us, Christ will begin remaking and reshaping our lives. He will create beauty from the ashes and meaning from the mire.

What in your life would have to change tomorrow to begin living a life after God’s own heart? What would it look like in your life? It is imperative we determine the things we must give up and the things we must embrace. I don’t know what those things are for you, but I’m determined to discover what they are for me.

Think how different tomorrow could be if we consciously chose to live our lives after God’s own heart. That one decision will have a powerful impact on the rest of our lives. It will be the first ripple in the pond, the one eventually causing a massive wave in our own story.

This is how we should approach every day, determined to live as one after God’s own heart. Tomorrow may be the first day you’ve ever tried, but don’t stop there. Make this a habit for the rest of your life. If we get this right, every other habit will fall into place. Whenever you are faced with a decision or a choice of what to do next, ask what a person after God’s own heart would choose. If you are serious about being a disciple of Jesus, someone after God’s own heart, this is how you begin.